It’s been a very changeable week of weather here. In a lovely fine spell, I was able to tidy up the garden, enjoy the beautiful red camellia that’s just coming into flower outside our front door, and become excited by the sight of a siskin on the bird feeder (not a bird I ever got to see at Carbeth). Between weathers I also saw fulmars at Keil and kittiwakes at Saddell, but the most exciting sight of the week was a group of dolphins swimming close to Carksey Bay. That morning, the wind had dropped, the tide was very low, and the glass was falling. I understand these are ideal conditions for cetacean spotting – something I shall bear in mind for future walks.
I’ve been working hard too, this week – both on our next project, and on various things around the mill (moving in takes such a lot of time!) – but it has been lovely to get out and about, and feel the season changing.
Those who are waiting for the reprint of Colour at Work will be pleased to hear that we should have copies in stock within the next week or so, and our Colour Compass KAL concludes this weekend: for consideration, please submit your complete (or partially completed) projects to the thread in our Ravelry group, or email a wee picture to Maylin at help@katedaviesdeigns.com.
Tom’s photos accompanying this post are from another of this week’s windows of low tide and settled weather, round at Saddell, where the dogs dearly love a swim. . .
. . .and where I enjoy the whoosh and hiss of the waves shaping the pebbled shoreline, while Ailsa Craig, on the horizon, emerges in and out of banks of cloud. You could never describe a settled day as dull here: there’s somehow always this lifting, shifting feeling of light and space.
What have you noticed when you’ve been out and about this week?
KDD & Co 
It is a beautiful postcard. It reflects harmony anywhere in the world. Thanks for sharing your post.
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Gorgeous. I haven’t been able to get myself out and about here lately; even in a warmer week like last week the inertia of winter has been hard to shake. Has to be done though.
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Being originally from Ayrshire it was a delight to see Ailsa Craig in Tom’s photos.
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I immediately felt the warmth in the air this morning here in the Edinburgh area. Very welcome. Very disappointing though that there are aphids on my climbing rose already.
Tom’s photographs are very absorbing. What struck me about these was the distinct line of the horizon which drew my eye immediately, separating sea and sky, almost like two photographs.
Your millstone sleuthing is both intriguing and entertaining.
I always enjoy your posts Kate.
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Ok, we are 30 deg F above normal and I know it is just a Tease! We’ll get some kind of snow event next weekend, brief though it may be! N Idaho…… Love the dogs swimming!!
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Here on the south west coast of Canada, it is unseasonably warm. We will be dealing with drought again. This morning there was a young deer nibbling in my garden, right out the front window. Can’t resist whatever is fresh and green!
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The first robin of the year, loudly proclaiming its ownership of my backyard at dusk yesterday.
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Hi Kate, Two storks that were wading and hunting, most likely for frogs still being cold and slow in a pingo lake. Magic! Titia
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Wow!
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Kate- I so appreciate how your writing-
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Sandhill cranes, red-winged blackbirds and trumpeter swans are back here in central Minnesota, though it’s in the 30s (F) and very cloudy/windy today. Typical March day in the Upper Midwest of the US.
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Here in Winnipeg Canada, the snow and ice are still on the ground. -10 presently cloudy and windy. But I watched a small herd of white tailed deer wander by the window on their way to a small forest down the road. Two rabbits are foraging for whatever food they can find in the back yard.
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I noticed a jay chasing a hawk from our backyard. He then tweeted out a message to his friends that it was safe to come out.
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The ice is out of the bay, the daffodils are ready to bloom, the cardinal sings every morning and the red-wing blackbirds are back but …. it’s way too early for all of that on the shores of Georgian Bay (Ontario). As I write this there is a light snow/snow pellets falling.
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Thanks for your recent posts – exciting times!
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div>Your pics of Alisa Craig brought to mind a photo I took of a painting
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Hi Kate c.s.,
Have you considered publishing the colour-book as an e-book? I’d love to read it, but taxes for import from non-EU countries are relatively high here in the Netherlands… And I try to have less print in my bookcases…
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We are signed up to the EUs IOSS scheme (which means we pay all the tax on imports under 130 euro – so no import taxes for eu customers) – with this particular book, we feel its printed nature is important (because of all the beautiful illustrations) so there won’t be a digital version, at least for the time being
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Thanks for clarifying!
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That’s really good news!
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Here in New York State’s Hudson Valley, my crocuses have just started blooming. There are green stems of tulips, daffodils, and Siberian iris but no flowers yet. The grass is turning green after a long winter of white and brown, and by the end of the month I will be once again stunned by how green the world has become. Soon the forsythia will be out as well, and driving through tunnels of yellow is always a highlight of the season for me.
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Here in northern Wisconsin (upper midwest), it’s the sound of robins and grackle that herald the shift to spring more than sightings of wildlife. Although, watching the returning Canada geese upside down in the river while feeding is fun. It’s a gathering of goose bottoms!
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Buzzards … and little wood anemones!
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wood anemones – hurrah!
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I was just looking where Carksey Bay was is it Carksiey Bay? The House and Cottage look amazing and historically you have connections with design colour and fabrics. What a coincidence?
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Yes, that’s it!
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Here in the southeast of Sweden, the spring is hesitating. Just some snowdrops, coltsfoot and some early hepatica. This morning gave a lovely sunshine, cold strong winds and … snow on the ground.❄️
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hepatica – lovely!
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Beautiful post, Kate. This week I saw a raven (for the first time!) in the grounds of Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, contrasted by wild parakeets in Hyde Park. Annoying but pretty wild garlic is springing up in my front rose border and I saw a huge and gorgeous magnolia in full bloom outside the GP. Spring is coming!
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What an atmospheric setting for your raven!
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